Opinion: To reduce suicide, primary care and mental health clinicians need to work together. Congress can help that happen
Suicide rates in the United States increased approximately 36% between 2000 and 2022, according to updated data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Suicide was responsible for just under 50,000 deaths in 2022 (the last year with complete statistics) — an all-time high. As this appalling trend continues, offering mental health assessments and care in primary care settings could help save lives.
As physicians, we pride ourselves on being able to care for patients by way of our knowledge, skill, and expertise. It’s frustrating and disempowering when we can’t help an individual who needs mental health care due to a shortage of effective, affordable, and culturally competent mental health providers. Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are working to address this barrier with the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act, federal legislation that would bring mental health care into primary care visits to address this gap.
